Ron Wilson

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Ron Wilson was the head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs from the start of the 2008-09 season until the final 18 games of the 2011-12 season.

Many general managers would have given their head coach a second season after failing to make the playoffs the first year. Some might have given the coach a third year after failing to make the playoffs in the second year.

But how could Brian Burke have given Wilson a fourth season when his team didn't make the playoffs for three straight years?

Burke was stubborn in his support of Wilson and didn't make a coaching change until the collapse of the 2011-12 season was nearly complete.

Phil Kessel Trade

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Phil Kessel is one of the best goal scorers in the NHL. He has scored 30 or more goals in each of the last four seasons.

However, when the Leafs acquired Kessel from the Boston Bruins, they paid a big price. They gave the Bruins their first- and second-round choices in the 2010 draft and their first-round draft choice in 2011.

The Bruins used those selections to pick Tyler Seguin (2010 first), Jared Knight (2010 second) and Dougie Hamilton (2011 first). Seguin is on the cusp of superstardom and the Bruins expect Hamilton to become a legacy defenseman shortly after the lockout ends. Knight is a talented prospect as well.

Kessel is a key cog for the Leafs, but they appear to have overpaid for him. Leaf fans wonder how Seguin and Hamilton would look in Toronto's blue and white.

Conditioning

When the Maple Leafs lost their way in 2011-12, they seemed to be on the short end physically.

When it came to winning battles for the puck, racing down the ice or holding onto leads late in the game, the Leafs failed.

Conditioning was an issue for this team. Much of that was on the coaching staff, but Burke has to take some of the blame for not putting more of an emphasis on offseason, preseason and in-season conditioning that would have likely resulted in more late-season wins and an appearance in the 2011-12 playoffs.